Chapter 2: Volterra

Once the plane landed at my final destination, I grabbed my two small bags and headed out of the airport to find a cab. Between the drive and my search, it had taken me three hours until I found the place that I had always intended to come.

I was scared and nervous, but completely accepting in anything that was to come. I had decided on my fate long ago, it was a decision I had made, and had been planning and intended to keep. So, as I walked up to the guards, not letting the hammering in my chest detour me, I confidently walked up to one of the men, looked him square in the eye and said

"I am here to speak with Aro"

It was just after dusk, dark enough for a vampire to be out in the open, but there were very little people on the street. He looked down at me, with amusement, confusion and shock fleeting across his cold face, then he squinted his eyes at me ever so slightly before answering "Excuse me?"

"Please, I must speak with Aro, your master. I have come a very long way, and with the information I hold, I'm sure he would like to speak with me as well." I said, trying my best to sound confident, as if I actually had something he would want.

He continued to look at me with a bewildered expression on his face before looking up at his partner and nodding towards the door. The other vampire gave him a nod in return and went into the castle.

I took in a ragged breath, trying to calm myself. I never really expected it to go this far, I had hoped but didn't think it would, a new wave of butterfly nervous erupted in my stomach as I tried to keep my breathing and my heartbeat under control.

Several minutes had passed, long enough for my nerves to die down, only to be replaced with despair. They were not going to let me in, and I would have to find another way to get what I wanted. All this time and planning was now wasted, and I had no back up plan.

The vampire guard must have noticed my change in demeanor, he chuckled softly with a grin "What's your name?"

"Bella" I answered him softly, all hope and confidence from my voice "My name's Bella" I looked down, trying to squish the urge to run away and cry.

He didn't say anything else, we just stood there continuing to wait, in the dark and silence for someone to return with any news.

Finally, after what seemed like an hour the other vampire came back out, he walked up to me, looking at the other guard and then telling me "Follow me"

I stood there, I was confused, I had been waiting out here for such a long time that I was sure I would be sent home, and when he said 'Follow me' it didn't make sense. After a few seconds of both of them looking at me like I was a crazy lunatic, the guard who had been standing with me finally spoke again.

"Bella. Aro will see you now" he said slowly, as though I were a child who needed specific directions to understand, which was apparently the case.

"Oh, right. Ok" I mumbled out.

They looked at each other and shrugged before walking, one in front of me the other behind. We walked into the castle through the massive wooden doors and down several different halls, making our way deeper and deeper into the castle. After several minutes of walking we finally reached a room, I was shocked to find a human woman at the reception desk. She smiled a gentle smile at me and then giggled at the vampire who walked behind me.

We walked through the last set of doors before reaching a room. It was round with three large chairs set up in the middle of the room. I recognized the men in them immediately as the vampires from a painted portrait that I once saw.

The two guards I had walked with, took me to the center of the room facing the three vampires, one standing on either side of me.

The vampire in the middle smiled a kind smile and stood up walking towards me "What is your name dear?" his voice was velvety like all the other's I had heard, but raspy having an old sound to it.

"Bella" I said timidly, tipping my head towards him as if he were royalty.

"And why have you come here Bella?"

"I... uh...I" I shook my head; I had no idea what to say to him. I knew why I had come, and I knew what I wanted from them, but I had no idea how to explain myself or ask for what I wanted.

"Don't be afraid dear Bella. My name is Aro, you asked for me by name. Now there must be something I can do for you, it's not every day a young human girl come's knocking on the Volturi's door asking to speak with one of the leaders." He was still speaking softly, his words kind and curious.

"I. I'm sorry…I don't…know what to say…where to begin…. I" I couldn't form a coherent thought let-alone a sentence.

"Why don't you start by telling me how you've come to know my name and where to find me" He smiled a gentle smile.

"I knew a family, who had spoken of you and your coven." I told him, flinching on the word family, hoping he would not ask me any names.

"Family? What family do you speak of?" he looked confused, and my chest began to writhe in pain. I had yet to speak any of their names aloud, not even a last name, and my body instinctively began to react on the impending doom, so taking the natural precaution, one that I had become very used to, I tightly wrapped my arms around my chest -in a hopeless effort to hold in and prevent the burn.

"Cullen" I whispered out as quickly as I could, wincing at the sound of the word, then tightly clenching my jaw.

"Ah, Carlisle. My dear old friend, how is he doing?" He asked apparently oblivious to my pain.

"I wouldn't know, I haven't seen them in two years." I told him as calmly as I could, closing my eyes, forcing away the pain and then opening them again to look at Aro's face.

"Ah, I see. And are they why you have come here today?"

"No." I told him flatly -and in complete truth. They were not the reason I had come.

"And how's that?" he asked curiously again.

"They are the reason that I know, but not the reason I have come. I came for me." I was gaining some of my confidence back, remembering why I had come in the first place.

"You came for you? And what can we do for you, Bella"

"I want you to change me"

(11/1/10)